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April 27, 2016

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love to introduce
readers to the people involved in children’s publishing. Today we welcome
picture book author, Marcie Wessels. Marcie, we’d love for you to tell us a
little about you.

I am the author of the children’s picture book, Pirate’s
Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime (Doubleday BFYR), illustrated by Tim Bowers. I
live in San Diego, CA with my husband and our two children.

Let’s hear
more about Pirate’s Lullaby.

Pirate’s Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime (Doubleday BFYR), illustrated by
Tim Bowers (www.timbowers.com) is a rhyming picture book for pirate loving kids
and their parents.

From the publisher:

Yo, ho, ho! It's bedtime! But Ned will do
anything to avoid going to sleep. Read along as he stalls for time - searching
for peg-legged Captain Teddy, stowing his toys in the ship's treasure chest,
and even playing a game of walk-the-plank!

Last summer, Pirate’s Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime was
chosen by the San Diego Symphony for its Symphony Story Time.

What’s the sign for “pirate”? Find out on National ASL
(American Sign Language) Day! On Saturday, April 16th, ASL
interpreter, Brandon Scates signed while I read Pirate’s Lullaby during
ASL Story Time at the Chula Vista Library. It was a swashbuckling good time!

How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long and David
Shannon, The Night Pirates by Peter Harris or The Berenstain Bears’
Bedtime Battle by Stan & Jan Berenstain.

Oh my gosh, that story time is fabulous! What an honor for your book to have been chosen. And what a wonderful thing for children. Now let’s move on to the threes. Give us your top 3
responses to the following to help us get to know you better.

Top 3
books you recommend reading and why you recommend them.

I love short stories. Jumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth
is a beautifully written, collection of short stories about family
relationships. I’m also a big fan of middle grade novels. I just read two
fantastic historical middle grades with female protagonists: Paper Wishes
by Lois Sepahban, the story of a Japanese American girl who is forced to live
in an internment camp during the Second World War and Blue Birds by
Caroline Starr Rose, a novel in free verse about the unlikely friendship
between a colonial girl and a girl from the Roanoke Indian tribe.

Top 3
tools of the trade you couldn’t live without.

My library card

Blank notebooks

Storyboard grids for laying out a picture book

Top 3
personal mantras or inspirational phrases.

“Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts.
You need to start somewhere.”

Anne Lamott

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write.”

Margret Atwood

“Nobody but a reader ever became a writer.”

Richard Peck

Ah, those are
great! Finally, please share with us where our tech savvy readers can find out
more about you and your book.

April 25, 2016

I love participating in cover reveals. It's like being in the IN crowd! And I'm extra excited to share this one, because 1) Medeia Sharif is an author on fire and rightfully so. Because she's good! 2) This book sounds amazing. 3) This cover!A LOVE THAT DISTURBS by Medeia SharifEvernight Teen, June 17, 2016

Maysa Mazari is alarmed by her mother’s talk about arranged marriage. Meanwhile, as a hijab-wearing Pakistani-American, she wants to find love on her own. Her judgmental Muslim clique has protected her from racist taunts, although the leader, Aamal, is turning on her as Maysa strays from the group because of her attraction to Haydee.

Haydee Gomez is a former gang member and juvenile detention student. Now living with a clean-cut aunt, she wants to turn her life around, even though one person will never let her forget her roots—Rafe, her abusive pimp. Haydee attempts to pull away from a life of prostitution when she develops feelings for Maysa, although Rafe isn’t willing to give her up too easily.

Finding themselves in danger from Maysa’s friends and Haydee’s pimp, it’s apparent their love disturbs everyone around them as they fight to stay together.

April 20, 2016

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love to introduce
readers to the people involved in children’s publishing. Today we welcome
author, HL Burke. HL, tell us a little about you, please.

Originally from Oregon, I'm a military wife and mother to
two superhero princesses who now travels the world in search of dragons. I
write whimsical fantasy and have a cat named Bruce Wayne. He's BATCAT! I'm a
long time lover of geek culture, including Star Wars, Star Trek, Tolkien, and
Doctor Who. If it is weird and wonderful, I want in!

Can you tell
us about your latest book?

My most recent book is Nyssa Glass and the House of
Mirrors, a YA Steampunk Adventure. It's a fun read with elements of
Shelley, Verne, and Wells.

Nyssa Glass is a reformed
cat burglar turned electrician's apprentice, settled into a life repairing
videophones and radio-sets. However, when her past comes calling, she finds
herself forced into one last job. No one has entered Professor Dalhart's
secluded mansion in almost a decade, at least not and returned to tell the
tale. If Nyssa wants to ensure her freedom, she'll brave the booby trapped
halls and mechanized maids. Nyssa has skills, but this house has more than its
share of secrets. As she steps into the cobwebbed halls lined with dusty
mirrors, she has to wonder. Is the House of Mirrors really abandoned?

What kind of reader do you recommend your book to?

Nyssa owes a lot to adventure games like the Myst series, so
it is hard for me to come up with a book that feels “like” her. I kind of see
her as a female version of serial heroes like Tintin or Indiana Jones, a
resourceful heroine who can solve any problem she faces with her quick wit and
resolve.

Now let’s move on to the threes. Give us your top 3
responses to the following to help us get to know you better.

Top 3
tools of the trade you couldn’t live without.

Coffee, a computer, and notebook/pen. I bounce back and
forth between writing long hand and writing on the keyboard. It seems like
different books have different voices that somehow make them better for typing
or writing … Nyssa Glass was mostly a typing book (though I did do some
longhand writing if I didn't have a computer handy when inspiration struck),
but other books I've seemed to only be able to get out by writing longhand … so
I like to have both.

And coffee because I replaced my blood stream with caffeine
ages ago, and I need to keep drinking it or I get anemic.

Top 3
favorite ways to interact with readers.

Dragon pictures! Dragons are my favorite mythical beast. I
currently have ten books published and of those ten, six are directly dragon
themed, one has a dragon as a minor plot point, and two others I went out of my
way to at least mention dragons. Because of that, I kind of got a reputation as
the “dragon lady.” People constantly tag me in dragon themed things, and I
delve into the depths of the interwebs and come back with dragon related
prizes.

On this theme, I have an instagram where I take pictures of
my “pet” dragon, Theodore, engaging in various activities. Theodore is probably
more popular than I am.

I also like to ask questions. I'll name a minor character
based on suggestions from my followers, and things like that.

Sometimes I'll take part in themed hashtag games like
#WIPJoy or #1lineWed, and every so often you can find me wasting time on
twitter when I should be #amwriting.

Top 3
favorite personality traits that appeal to you.

Laid back … I love cats. Cats are so laid back. Cats don't
care what you do as long as you don't poke at them. People give cats a hard
time for being judgmental and aloof, but cats just want to live and let live.
The best thing I can say about a person is they remind me of a cat. Cats
forever!

Flexible … people who can't adjust or who choose not to
experience new things bug me. I like people who can be ready at the drop of a
hat and don't worry about preparation too much before going on an adventure
with me.

Calm … this is one I'm not so great at. I tend to get
freaked out and lose emotional control more than I'd like. I'm not really a
worrier about things I can't control, but that's partially because I don't like
to be in control. I'd much rather hand over the reins to someone else in
stressful situations. My husband is a rock. It takes a lot to shake him, and I
need that in my life. Definitely one of the things that drew me to him in the
first place.

Finally,
please share with us where our tech savvy readers can find out more about you
and your work.

April 13, 2016

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love to introduce
readers to the people involved in children’s publishing. Today we welcome young
adult author, Laura Diamond. Laura, tell us a little about you, please.

I am a board certified psychiatrist currently specializing
in emergency psychiatry. I’m also an author of all things young adult—both
contemporary and paranormal. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and anything
magical, I thrive on quirk, lucid dreams, and coffee. When I’m not working or
writing, I can be found sniffing books and drinking a latte at the bookstore or
at home pondering renovations on my 225 year old fixer upper, all while obeying
my feline overlords, of course.

If we aren’t
careful, cats will take over the world. Now, we’d love to hear about your book.

UNDER MY SKIN Blurb:

Bookish Brit Adam Gibson is one wonky heartbeat away from a
fatal arrhythmia. He's torn between wanting to live and knowing that someone
else must die in order for him to do so. He needs a new heart.

Adam stops talking to his friends, refuses to meet kids at
his new school, and shuts his parents out entirely. His days are spent
wondering if can cope with having a dead man's heart beating inside his chest,
or if he should surrender to the thoughts of suicide swirling around in his
head.

And then a donor is found.

Outspoken artist Darby Fox rarely lets anything stand in her
way of achieving her goals. She also happens to be the twin sister to a perfect
brother with good looks, good grades, manners, and the approval of their
parents - something Darby has never had.

Darby's always had bad timing. She picks the worst time to
argue with her brother Daniel. In a car with bald tires, on an icy road in the
freezing cold, the unthinkable happens. In a split-second, everything changes
forever.

When life forces Adam and Darby together, undeniable sparks
fly, and a deep connection is made. But the secret inside of Adam may be the
thing that pushes them apart forever.

Wow! Sounds great. I’ve added it to my Goodreads
shelf. Now let’s move on to the threes. Give us your top 3 responses to the
following to help us get to know you better.

Top 3
books you recommend reading and why you recommend them.

Anything by Victoria (V.E.) Schwab—she writes young adult
and adult fantasy and creates such tragic, real
characters. I LOVE everything she writes. (My fave’s are Vicious and the A Darker
Shade of Magic series.)

Anything by Maggie Stiefvater, especially The Scorpio Races and The Raven Cycle series. Like Victoria,
she creates compelling characters. Also, her settings are so atmospheric that
you feel transported there.

I have to mention the Harry Potter series because JK Rowling
has such a complex, but strong world and events that happen in the first book
tie into the last—that takes a TON of planning and it’s so well done that it
deserves admiration.

I’ve travelled to several places over the years, but my favorites
are Israel, New Zealand, and Burkina Faso. Israel meant a lot to me because I
was able to be baptized in the Jordan River. New Zealand is such a beautiful
country and the people are incredibly friendly. Plus, I got to visit Lord of
the Rings filming sites—so awesome! In Burkina Faso, I had the opportunity to
participate in Operation Christmas Child where small gifts and toiletries were
handed out to local people.

I’ve never
even heard of Burkina Faso. I’ll have to Google it. Finally, please share with
us where our tech savvy readers can find out more about you and your work.

April 6, 2016

Welcome to Three Times A Charm.
I love to introduce readers to the people involved in children’s publishing.
Today we welcome young adult author, GL Wilson. GL, tell us a little about you,
please.

I'm a writer and playwright. I've
written for both children and adults and have chosen a pen name GL Wilson
- for my Campion's Quartet series - I don't want to confuse my adult readers! I
wrote plays for the radio and I was lucky enough to do some work both on tv and
in the theatre.

I was a Head of English and Head of
Drama. I loved teaching. I loved directing school plays and musicals. It was
the best time of my life.

I started working on an idea for a
teen series several years ago but put it to one side. Originally my main
characters were going to be teen detectives who discovered a crime cracking
computer program. It was called The Finder Series.

It didn't work but when I went back
everything changed. Magic coins, aliens, walking though walls. I discovered all
these new ideas and suddenly found myself racing to keep up with the
story!

I wrote the first two books in the
Campion Quartet over a period of 18 months. Book One is Campion's Choice: How
to take a picture of the future.

Book Two, Campion's Change will come
out in 2017.

Sounds great! Tell us more about
Campion’s Choice.

Campion's Choice is about a group of
teenagers who encounter the last surviving members of a stranded alien race.
The twist is that the material the aliens need to help them escape from earth
also endows humans with almost magical powers. It's a Sci Fi/ magic mash up. I
hope the book will make people think long and hard about our wonderful planet,
how precious and fragile it is and how we need to do everything in our power to
save it.

I recommend my book to readers who
like: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Skulduggery Pleasant.

Impressive comps! Okay, GL,
let’s move on to the threes. Give us your top 3 responses to the following to
help us get to know you better.

·Top 3 books you recommend reading and why you recommend
them.

Harry Potter and the philosopher’s
stone. This is my favourite J K Rowling. I think stylistically the
writing is great. And if you read this you will be hooked.

The Outsiders - SE Hinton. A
terrific book about how it feels to be a teenager when all the world seems to
be against you.

I am Malala. The book every teenager
MUST read.

·Top 3 professions you wanted to be when you grew up.

Architect - I wish I'd designed the
Flat Iron building in New York

Teacher - I was one and I loved
it.

Actor - I wanted to be James Bond

·Top 3 favorite places.

Cambodia - the nicest people on the
planet. Book Two of my series is partly set there.

India - the most colourful and
friendliest place in the world. (I will definitely work this country into
the Campion Quartet.

The Isle of Skye - small and utterly
beautiful.

Ah! I’d love to visit the Isle of
Skye. Seems like a magical place. Share with us where our tech savvy readers
can find out more about you and your work.

Yeah - as evidenced above - I don't really write it. But I can have fun with it nonetheless. Plus, I must admit...I don't really like it! Gasp!!! But April is National Poetry Month and our #InkRipples topic this month.

Though is isn't my favorite form of writing, I have read some novels in verse that I've enjoyed. And I want to share one with one lucky reader! I'll give away a Kindle edition of one of the following to a randomly chosen winner:

Kristina Georgia Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. But on a trip to visit her absentee father, Kristina disappears and Bree takes her place. Bree is the exact opposite of Kristina -- she's fearless.

Through a boy, Bree meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul -- her life.

The last person seventeen-year-old Eleanor Livingston wants to see on the elevator—let alone get stuck with—is her ex-boyfriend Travis, the guy she's been avoiding for five months.

Plagued with the belief that when she speaks the truth, bad things happen, Elly hasn’t told Trav anything. Not why she broke up with him and cut off all contact. Not what happened the day her father returned from his deployment to Afghanistan. And certainly not that she misses him and still thinks about him everyday.

But with nowhere to hide and Travis so close it hurts, Elly’s worried she won’t be able to contain her secrets for long. She’s terrified of finally revealing the truth, because she can’t bear to watch a tragedy befall the boy she still loves.

Enter as many times as you can between now and 11:59 pm on Sunday, April 17th. Good luck!

Ink
Ripples is
a themed meme hosted byMary Waibel,Katie L. Carroll, andKai Strand posting on the firt Monday of every month. To
participate compose your own post regarding the theme of the month, and link
back to the three host blogs. Feel free to post whenever you want during the
month, but be sure to include #inkripples when you promote so readers can find
you. The idea is that we toss a word or idea into the inkwell and each post is
a new ripple. There is no wrong interpretation. Themes and images and more
information can be found here.

Here's the Scoop on

Hi! I'm Kai (pronounced like the letter K.) I write Epic award winning fiction for kids and teens. I can say that because I won an award from EPIC for The Weaver! I'm the mother of four, which makes me a bit of an expert in the writing for kids arena. I love singing, gardening, walking, pizza and Mozart. Please check out my books and short stories on my website and contact me with any questions you have. Thanks for reading.